Braves hand Webb second straight loss

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Mark Teixeira capped a solid homestand for
the Atlanta Braves on a picture perfect day at Turner Field.

Teixeira drove in four runs and Brian McCann homered to power
the Braves to a 7-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday.

Rookie Gregor Blanco was 3-for-3 and Yunel Escobar had two hits
for Atlanta, which gained a split of the four-game series and
completed an 8-3 homestand.

"We went out and we played three good teams this homestand,"
Teixeira said of Atlanta's swing against the Oakland Athletics,
the New York Mets and the Diamondbacks. "For us to come out
with eight wins, we have to feel really good about ourselves."

Like most players around baseball, Teixeira had not enjoyed much
success against Arizona ace Brandon Webb (9-2), failing to
record a hit in five previous at-bats against the 2006 Cy Young
Award winner.

Teixeira and the Braves finally solved Webb on Monday.

The switch-hitting first baseman laced a two-run double down the
right field line in the first to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead. One
frame later, he smashed a bases-loaded single past second
baseman Orlando Hudson, plating Blanco and Atlanta starter Jair
Jurrjens for a 5-1 cushion.

"He threw me two pitches," said Teixeira, who finished Atlanta's
longest homestand of the season batting .341 (14-for-41) with
10 RBI. "Luckily, there were guys on base and we were able to
score on them."

Webb had dominated Atlanta, allowing just six hits in two
complete game shutouts against the club over his last two
outings. But the Diamondbacks ace, who had won his first nine
decisions before losing to Florida last Wednesday, endured his
worst outing of the season.

He allowed seven runs - four earned - and 10 hits while walking
three and striking out eight in a season-low 4 1/3 innings. The
seven runs were the most allowed by the righthander since June
22, 2007 vs. the Baltimore Orioles.

"I just wasn't sharp," Webb said. "Everything they hit seemed
to find holes. I didn't have a real good fastball. My velocity
was down. I got a lot of strikes, but it didn't seem like I
could ever make the big pitch when it counted."

The Braves plated three unearned runs on thanks to a throwing
error in the second. Jurrjens laid down a bunt down the third
base line, which Mark Reynolds fielded after colliding with
Webb. The Arizona third baseman threw wildly to Stephen Drew at
third, allowing Greg Norton to score. Teixeira capped the
frame with a broken-bat two-run single.

"Over the last couple of years, he's been the best pitcher in
baseball," Teixeira said of Webb. "Fortunately, for us we were
able to score runs against him today. We did a great job of
swinging the bats."

McCann smacked a solo shot and Ruben Gotay drove in a run with a
pinch hit single in the fifth to extend the lead to 7-1 for
Atlanta, which improved to a National League-best 22-7 at home.

"An 8-3 (homestand), we'll take that if you give it to us
beforehand, anytime," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "Teixeira
came up with four big RBIs."

Atlanta has had no problem beating anyone at home as the club
has defeated Johan Santana, Randy Johnson, Webb and NL
ERA-leader Edinson Volquez here this season.

However, the Braves have struggled on the road, winning just six
of 22 away from Turner Field.

"It was a great homestand," Chipper Jones said. "To go 8-3
against the teams we played is tremendous. But you don't know
until you get out on the road. Until you play more consistent
ball and execute away from here, I don't know what to say."

Atlanta second baseman hopes that a little change in Atlanta's
road routine will bring good fortune away from Turner Field.

"I hope (we bring our home white jerseys on the road)," Johnson
said. "I really, really hope so. It's been joke about around
here. It's should be considered. If there's enough space, they
may find a way."

Jurrjens, who was bothered by two blisters on his right thumb,
allowed three runs and eight hits over 4 2/3 frames, but was
yanked by Cox one out before qualifying for the win.

Jeff Bennett recorded the final out of the fifth before giving
way to Manny Acosta (3-1), who hurled two perfect frames for the
win.

Jones finished 1-for-3 with two walks to see his league-leading
average fall one point to .416. Nevertheless, the
switch-hitting slugger's average is the highest for any player
this late in the season since the legendary Hank Aaron hit .442
in 1959.

Hudson hit a two-run homer for the Diamondbacks, who completed a
2-5 road trip.

"We've had a tough May," catcher Chris Snyder said. "We have to
battle through it and get back on track in June."

NLAT ATLANTA - SCORING UPDATETWO-RUN HOME RUN BY ORLANDO HUDSON (4) TO RIGHT WITH 0 OUT IN THE 5TH OFF JAIR JURRJENS SCORED STEPHEN DREW.CURRENT SCORE: ARIZONA 3, ATLANTA 5DUE UP FOR ARIZONA: C TRACY (.500, 1-FOR-2)